Closely Review: Is This LinkedIn Automation Tool Worth It?

If you're doing B2B outreach on LinkedIn, you've probably hit the wall where manual prospecting just doesn't scale. You can only send so many connection requests and follow-up messages before your day disappears into the LinkedIn void.

That's where Closely comes in. It's a cloud-based LinkedIn automation tool that promises to handle the repetitive stuff-connection requests, profile visits, follow-up messages-while you focus on actually closing deals.

But is it any good? I've dug through user reviews, tested the interface, and compared it to alternatives. Here's the honest breakdown.

What Is Closely?

Closely is an AI-powered LinkedIn automation platform that combines LinkedIn outreach with email marketing capabilities. Unlike browser extensions that require you to keep LinkedIn open, Closely runs in the cloud, which means campaigns continue even when you're not at your computer.

The platform targets sales professionals, marketers, recruiters, and agencies who need to scale their LinkedIn prospecting without getting banned. It uses features like dedicated proxies, smart safety limits, and account warm-up modes to mimic human behavior and keep your LinkedIn account safe.

Founded by a team led by Dan King, Closely was created to simplify LinkedIn outreach and empower sales professionals to build meaningful connections at scale. The platform processes actions using dedicated residential proxies, which are critical for maintaining account security when automating LinkedIn activities.

Closely Pricing: What Does It Actually Cost?

Let's get to the numbers everyone cares about. Closely uses a tiered pricing model based on LinkedIn account limits and a credit system:

• Starter Plan: $49/month (or $29/month billed annually) - 1 LinkedIn account, 1,000 credits for emails, phone lookups, or AI personalizations
• Growth Plan: $127/month (or $87/month annually) - 3 LinkedIn accounts, 3,000 credits
• Essential Plan: $205/month (or $145/month annually) - 5 LinkedIn accounts, 5,000 credits
• Custom Plan: Starting at $350/month - 10+ accounts with customizable credit allocations

Important note: Annual billing offers substantial savings-the Starter plan drops from $588/year to $348/year when paid upfront. However, this annual commitment is a significant barrier if you're just testing the waters. Make sure you understand the billing terms before signing up.

Compared to alternatives like Dripify (starting at $39/month) or Expandi (around $99/month), Closely sits in the mid-range. The credit-based system can work in your favor if you're doing moderate outreach, but heavy users might burn through credits quickly.

Understanding Closely's Credit System

The credit system is worth understanding in detail. Credits are consumed when you:

• Find and verify email addresses from your LinkedIn prospects
• Enrich contact data with phone numbers
• Use AI personalization to generate customized messages
• Access data enrichment features beyond basic LinkedIn info

If you primarily stick to LinkedIn automation without heavy data enrichment, your credits will last longer. However, agencies running comprehensive multichannel campaigns may find themselves upgrading tiers quickly.

Key Features That Actually Matter

LinkedIn Automation

This is Closely's core functionality. You can automate:

• Personalized connection requests
• Profile visits (to warm up prospects)
• Follow-up message sequences
• InMails
• Likes on prospect publications

The platform uses a "human-like" approach with random delays between actions and limits that adjust based on context (more active on weekdays, less on weekends). User feedback has been reassuring-no reports of account bans even after months of intensive use, which is crucial when you've spent years building your LinkedIn network.

Closely employs dedicated residential proxies that assign a unique IP address to each account. This technology mimics natural browsing behavior and makes automation virtually undetectable. According to Closely's own data, residential proxies avoid captcha requests in 99% of cases, ensuring smooth LinkedIn interactions without interruptions.

Multichannel Campaigns

What sets Closely apart from LinkedIn-only tools is its ability to combine LinkedIn and email outreach in one sequence. For example, you can like a prospect's post, send a connection request, then automatically follow up via email if your LinkedIn message goes unanswered.

You can connect Gmail or Outlook accounts without complicated setups, creating automated campaigns that engage prospects across multiple touchpoints. This multichannel approach aligns with industry data showing that combining LinkedIn and email outreach boosts engagement by up to 70%.

The unified inbox feature consolidates all prospect replies from LinkedIn DMs, InMails, and emails into a single dashboard. This eliminates the need to jump between platforms and helps you respond faster, maintaining conversation momentum when prospects show interest.

AI Personalization

Closely's AI researches prospects and crafts messages based on profile data, company information, and recent activities. It can reference things like recent funding rounds or product launches to make outreach feel less like a template blast.

The platform also includes "AI Sales Agents" that can automatically qualify leads based on your criteria (industry, company size, location, etc.) and score prospects to help you prioritize. These AI agents conduct web research on leads and companies, gathering actionable insights that would typically take hours of manual work.

According to user reports, AI-powered personalization with Closely achieves up to 35% higher response rates compared to generic outreach. The system analyzes over 30 data points in real-time to craft messages that sound genuinely human, not robotic.

Data Enrichment

Built-in tools find verified email addresses and phone numbers, expanding your outreach beyond LinkedIn. This saves you from juggling multiple data tools, though some users report the email extraction feature isn't as robust as dedicated tools like Findymail.

The data enrichment pulls from a B2B database of over 100 million contacts, with advanced filtering options by industry, job title, location, and company size. You can extract leads directly from LinkedIn searches, Sales Navigator, Recruiter, posts, groups, or CSV imports.

CRM Integrations

Closely integrates with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and GoHighLevel. All LinkedIn touchpoints sync in real-time, from connection to reply, which keeps your CRM data clean and attribution clear.

The integrations are deep, not superficial. Every LinkedIn interaction-DMs, InMails, connection events, and replies-automatically syncs to contact, account, and deal timelines in your CRM. This prevents duplicate records and enables accurate reporting for pipeline attribution.

Some users have reported occasional integration bugs, particularly with HubSpot synchronization creating duplicate entries. However, Closely's support team has been responsive in addressing these issues.

Lead Finder and Database Access

Beyond automation, Closely provides access to a substantial B2B contact database. You can search for prospects using advanced filters and export them directly into your campaigns. This feature positions Closely as more than just an automation tool-it's also a lead generation platform.

The lead finder integrates seamlessly with the automation engine, so you can discover prospects and immediately add them to outreach sequences without manual data transfers.

Team Management and White-Label Options

For agencies and larger sales teams, Closely offers team management features that allow you to monitor and assess team member performance across campaigns. You can track daily statistics and see metrics on each campaign created by different team members.

The white-label capabilities are particularly valuable for agencies. You can add your own branding to dashboards and give clients direct access to a private inbox and detailed reports. This feature alone justifies the higher price point for agencies managing multiple client accounts.

Account Safety: How Closely Keeps You Out of LinkedIn Jail

Account safety is the biggest concern with any LinkedIn automation tool. LinkedIn doesn't love bots, and getting banned can mean months of networking gone.

Closely addresses this with multiple safety layers:

• Cloud-based operation: No browser extension that LinkedIn can easily detect
• Dedicated residential proxies: Each account gets a unique IP address that mimics natural browsing from a real location
• Smart safety limits: Activity levels adjust automatically based on account age, connection count, and LinkedIn's changing thresholds
• Warm-up mode: New accounts gradually increase activity over time to avoid sudden spikes that trigger flags
• Random delays: Human-like timing between actions, with variations throughout the day
• Weekend/holiday adjustments: Reduced activity during times when real humans are less active

From user feedback, the approach seems to work. No widespread reports of account bans have surfaced, even from heavy users. That said, no automation tool is 100% risk-free-use any tool responsibly and within LinkedIn's guidelines.

Understanding LinkedIn's Detection Methods

LinkedIn uses machine learning to detect automation by analyzing behavior patterns, timing, content relevance, device consistency, and location consistency. The platform doesn't publicly publish specific limits, but thresholds vary based on your connection count, account age, and subscription level.

Safe automation practices include:

• Staying below 100 weekly connection requests (approximately 15-20 per day)
• Limiting messages to 50-75 per day for free accounts, up to 250 for Sales Navigator
• Keeping profile visits under 100 per day for standard accounts
• Personalizing every message rather than using identical templates
• Spreading activity throughout business hours rather than clustering actions

Closely's smart limits enforce these best practices automatically. The system won't let you accidentally exceed safe thresholds, even if you try to push the boundaries.

What to Do If You Get Flagged

Despite best precautions, LinkedIn occasionally flags accounts. If this happens:

1. Stop all automation immediately and disconnect Closely from your account
2. Do not create a new account with the same email-LinkedIn tracks this and can ban both accounts
3. Contact LinkedIn support (try @LinkedInHelp on Twitter for faster response)
4. When communicating with LinkedIn, don't mention automation tools. State your case politely and express willingness to comply
5. If your account is restored, treat it like a new account. Warm it up again with manual activity before resuming automation at lower volumes

LinkedIn restrictions are usually temporary warnings rather than permanent bans, especially for first-time offenses. The key is responding quickly and adjusting your approach.

What Users Actually Say

After reviewing feedback across G2, AppSumo, Trustpilot, and independent reviewers, here's what stands out:

The Good

• Easy to use: "The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible even for those who are not tech-savvy." Multiple reviews highlight the intuitive interface.
• Solid LinkedIn integration: Users consistently praise how seamlessly it works with LinkedIn, allowing them to manage and grow their network efficiently.
• Responsive support: The support team gets good marks for being helpful and quick to respond.
• Account safety: The "human-like" automation approach seems to work-no widespread reports of banned accounts. As one reviewer noted, "My network is growing every day and I have no issues with bans."
• Results: Users report a 3x increase in connection requests and a 2x rise in lead generation compared to manual outreach.
• AI personalization that works: Reviewers note that AI-generated messages sound genuinely human rather than obviously automated.
• Multichannel convenience: Having LinkedIn and email in one platform saves time compared to using separate tools.
• Analytics and reporting: The detailed dashboards help teams understand what's working and optimize campaigns accordingly.

The Not-So-Good

• Occasional bugs: Some users report glitches with message delivery to incorrect users and issues with campaign modifications after pausing.
• Email features lag behind: Several reviewers find the email campaign features less robust than the LinkedIn automation. If email is your primary channel, tools like Lemlist might be a better fit.
• Lead finder limitations: The email extraction feature gets mixed reviews, with some users supplementing it with dedicated data tools.
• Learning curve for complex features: While basic automation is straightforward, mastering workflows for multichannel sequences takes time.
• Integration bugs: There are reports of custom variables occasionally skipping and duplicate issues with HubSpot synchronization.
• Annual commitment on some plans: The requirement to pay upfront for a full year is a barrier for many, especially startups and small businesses testing the waters.
• Credit consumption: Heavy users of data enrichment features may find credits depleting faster than expected, requiring plan upgrades.
• Limited customization for advanced users: Some power users want more granular control over timing and sequencing than Closely's interface allows.

Trustpilot Insights

On Trustpilot, Closely maintains a mixed rating of 1.6 stars (though this appears to be related to a different company with a similar name). Reviews on software-specific platforms like G2 and Capterra show more positive sentiment, with users praising the tool's functionality despite occasional technical hiccups.

The most common complaint across platforms involves the cancellation policy-users report needing 15-25 days advance notice to avoid being charged for the next month, which wasn't clearly communicated during onboarding.

Who Is Closely Best For?

Good fit if you:

• Need multichannel outreach (LinkedIn + email) from a single platform
• Have a mid-size to large sales team that needs AI-powered personalization
• Want CRM integrations to keep your data clean
• Prioritize account safety over aggressive outreach volume
• Run an agency managing multiple client LinkedIn accounts (white-label features)
• Value data enrichment alongside automation
• Need team management and performance tracking features
• Are willing to invest in annual plans for better pricing

Maybe look elsewhere if you:

• Want a monthly billing option without annual commitment
• Need just LinkedIn automation without the email features-simpler tools cost less
• Run email-first campaigns (dedicated email tools like Lemlist or Reply have more robust features)
• Have a very tight budget (Dripify at $39/month might serve you better)
• Are a solo entrepreneur testing LinkedIn automation for the first time
• Need advanced email deliverability features (tools like Instantly focus more heavily on this)
• Want to experiment before committing to a paid tool (Waalaxy offers a free tier)

Closely vs. The Competition

Here's how Closely stacks up against popular alternatives:

Closely vs. Dripify: The Budget-Friendly Alternative

Dripify starts at $39/month, making it more affordable than Closely. It offers a clean, intuitive interface that's great for beginners. However, Dripify lacks Closely's AI personalization depth and multichannel email integration. Dripify is purely LinkedIn-focused, while Closely combines both channels.

User reviews suggest Dripify has occasional bugs and slower customer support compared to Closely. However, for solo entrepreneurs or small teams focused exclusively on LinkedIn, Dripify delivers solid value at a lower price point.

Closely vs. Expandi: The Enterprise Option

Expandi positions itself as the enterprise-grade solution, starting at $99/month. It offers country-based IP addresses and sophisticated safety features designed for high-volume agencies.

However, users report that Expandi has a complex, less intuitive interface compared to Closely. There are also complaints about Expandi continuing to charge subscription fees automatically, with some users having to block the company from their credit cards.

Expandi limits weekly connection requests to 100, while Closely allows higher volumes depending on account age and type. For LinkedIn prospecting specifically, Expandi has extra post engagement features, but Closely offers better overall multichannel capabilities.

Closely vs. Lemlist: Email Specialists

Lemlist specializes in cold email outreach with some LinkedIn features added as secondary capabilities. If email is your primary channel, Lemlist likely offers superior email deliverability, warmup features, and campaign customization.

Closely takes the opposite approach-LinkedIn first, with email as a secondary channel. The choice depends on whether LinkedIn or email drives more of your pipeline.

Both tools offer similar pricing starting around $59-99/month depending on features. For true multichannel campaigns where LinkedIn and email carry equal weight, Closely may be the better choice. For email-heavy strategies, Lemlist wins.

Setting Up Closely: What to Expect

Getting started with Closely is relatively straightforward:

1. Account creation: Sign up and choose your plan. Consider starting with annual billing if the upfront cost is manageable-the savings are substantial.
2. LinkedIn connection: Connect your LinkedIn account(s) through Closely's secure interface. The platform uses dedicated proxies, so your actual LinkedIn credentials remain protected.
3. Email integration: Connect your Gmail, Outlook, or other email provider for multichannel campaigns.
4. CRM connection: If you're using HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive, connect it now to ensure data flows properly from the start.
5. Account warm-up: For new or less-active accounts, Closely recommends a warm-up period of 2-4 weeks where activity gradually increases.
6. Campaign creation: Build your first outreach sequence using Closely's drag-and-drop campaign builder. Start simple before attempting complex multichannel flows.
7. AI configuration: Set up AI personalization parameters to match your ideal customer profile and messaging style.
8. Testing: Run a small test campaign to 20-50 prospects before scaling up. Monitor results and adjust messaging based on response rates.

Closely offers a 1:1 onboarding call with product experts for new users, which is valuable for understanding best practices and avoiding common mistakes that could trigger LinkedIn flags.

Advanced Strategies for Maximizing Results

Sequence Optimization

The most successful Closely users don't just set up a simple connection request + follow-up sequence. They create sophisticated workflows:

• Pre-connection warming: Visit profiles and engage with content before sending connection requests
• Multi-touch sequences: Combine LinkedIn profile visits, connection requests, messages, InMails, and email over 2-3 weeks
• Conditional branching: Different follow-up paths based on whether prospects accept connections, reply, or ignore messages
• A/B testing: Test different message variants to identify what resonates with your audience

Personalization at Scale

The AI personalization is powerful, but you can enhance it:

• Use custom variables beyond basic first name and company name
• Reference recent LinkedIn posts or company news
• Segment audiences by industry or role and customize messaging accordingly
• Combine AI-generated opening lines with your own authentic voice in the body

Data Enrichment Best Practices

To maximize your credit allocation:

• Only enrich contacts who accept your connection request or show engagement
• Use LinkedIn data first, then supplement with email enrichment for high-priority prospects
• Export enriched data to your CRM to avoid repeatedly spending credits on the same contacts

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Based on user experiences and expert recommendations, avoid these pitfalls:

1. Starting too aggressively: New accounts going from 0 to 50 connection requests daily get flagged immediately. Always warm up gradually.
2. Using identical message templates: Even with personalization tokens, sending virtually identical messages to hundreds of people triggers spam filters.
3. Ignoring response rates: If your acceptance rate drops below 30% or you get multiple "I don't know this person" reports, pause and adjust your targeting.
4. Running automation while manually using LinkedIn: Using LinkedIn manually while automation is running can create activity spikes that look suspicious.
5. Neglecting your LinkedIn profile: Automation can't compensate for a weak profile. Ensure your profile is complete, professional, and clearly communicates value.
6. Setting campaigns and forgetting them: Monitor performance weekly and adjust based on what's working. Automation doesn't mean "set it and forget it."
7. Using generic targeting: Broader isn't better. Tightly defined target audiences with relevant messaging always outperform spray-and-pray approaches.

The Future of LinkedIn Automation

The LinkedIn automation landscape continues evolving. LinkedIn has tightened rules considerably since 2021, implementing stricter limits and better detection algorithms. This trend will likely continue.

Tools that survive and thrive will be those that:

• Prioritize genuine personalization over volume
• Use sophisticated AI to truly understand prospect context
• Maintain rigorous safety protocols to protect user accounts
• Integrate deeply with the broader sales tech stack
• Provide transparent analytics showing real business impact

Closely positions itself well for this future with its emphasis on AI-powered personalization and safety-first approach. However, the annual commitment requirement may become a disadvantage if competition continues offering more flexible monthly billing.

Alternatives to Consider

Beyond the tools already mentioned, consider these depending on your specific needs:

For Email-First Strategies

• Instantly: Focuses heavily on email deliverability with built-in warmup and sender rotation
• Smartlead: AI-powered email outreach with unlimited email accounts
• Reply: Multichannel sequences with strong email capabilities

For Data Enrichment

• Findymail: Specialized in finding and verifying email addresses
• Clay: Data enrichment platform that can integrate with various automation tools
• RocketReach: Comprehensive contact database for B2B prospecting

For LinkedIn-Only Automation

• Octopus CRM: Very affordable browser-based option starting at $6.99/month
• Linked Helper: Popular Chrome extension with extensive LinkedIn features
• Dux-Soup: Long-established browser extension with proven track record

For Social Selling Beyond LinkedIn

• Tweet Hunter: For X (Twitter) growth and engagement
• Taplio: LinkedIn content creation and personal branding

Making the Final Decision

Closely is a solid LinkedIn automation tool with legitimate strengths in AI personalization and multichannel outreach. If you're running a B2B sales team and need to scale LinkedIn prospecting while integrating email follow-ups, it delivers good value.

The downsides are real though. The annual billing requirement is a barrier, the email features don't match dedicated email tools, and the price adds up fast if you're running multiple accounts.

My recommendation: If you're serious about LinkedIn-first outreach with email as a secondary channel, Closely is worth a trial. The AI personalization and safety features justify the investment for teams doing significant outbound prospecting. Take advantage of their free trial and 1:1 onboarding to see if it fits your workflow before committing to the annual plan.

For those prioritizing budget or needing only LinkedIn automation, check out Dripify or Dux-Soup first. And if email is your primary channel, Lemlist or Instantly are stronger options.

When Closely Makes Sense

Invest in Closely if you:

• Have a sales team of 3+ people doing daily prospecting
• Value account safety and are willing to pay for premium features
• Need white-label capabilities for agency clients
• Want unified inbox management across LinkedIn and email
• Can commit to annual billing for better pricing
• Have existing CRM infrastructure that needs LinkedIn data

When to Choose an Alternative

Look elsewhere if you:

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn automation isn't going anywhere. The platform has become too central to B2B sales for companies to rely on purely manual prospecting. Tools like Closely represent the evolution of automation-moving beyond simple connection requests toward genuine AI-powered personalization that actually adds value to conversations.

The key is using these tools responsibly. No automation tool can compensate for poor targeting, weak messaging, or an incomplete LinkedIn profile. The teams seeing 3x connection increases and 2x lead generation improvements aren't just turning on automation and walking away. They're combining smart automation with strategic thinking about who to target, what to say, and how to provide genuine value.

Closely provides the infrastructure for that approach. Whether it's worth $49-350/month for your team depends on your volume, budget, and commitment to LinkedIn as a primary channel. For mid-market and enterprise teams serious about LinkedIn, it's a worthwhile investment. For smaller teams or those just starting out, the annual commitment and learning curve may be obstacles worth avoiding until you've validated your LinkedIn strategy with simpler tools.

Looking for more B2B tools? Check out our guide to CRMs for small business or our best CRM software roundup to pair with your outreach stack. You might also want to explore Close CRM for sales teams focused on closing deals faster, or Capsule CRM for simpler contact management needs.